Corvezzo & Beyond Wines' 'Shared Dream' for Sparkling Success in UK
Corvezzo and Beyond Wines did not have to wait long before knowing they were the ideal partners for each other if they were to reach their goals in the UK wine market. Corvezzo was looking for a supplier that could match its ambitions to grow organic Prosecco sales in the mainstream UK on and off-trade and Beyond Wines was looking for an Italian sparkling wine producer that could give its customers ready-made solutions from entry level, private label through to branded premium wines. Corvezzo’s Giovanni Corvezzo, and its commercial director, Niccolò Dalla Colletta, set out why they believe it has a unique organic sparkling wine offer for UK customers, whilst Beyond Wines’ managing director, Alex Green and sales and marketing director, Stuart Bond, explain why their shared business values has made working together so straight forward.
“We want to work with people who take a long-term view and genuinely value relationships,” that’s how Stuart Bond sums up Beyond Wines approach when it looks to sign up a new wine producer to work with.
Yes, they need to have the right quality wines at price points and scale that are going to be attractive to their core key UK customers, but crucially a potential wine producing partner also has to share its same values and reasons for being in this business in the first place if they are going to work together.
He explains: “In Corvezzo, we saw a family-owned business with strong values, clear ambition, great quality, and a willingness to invest in its partners. That combination of personal trust and shared outlook made the decision straightforward. As Giovanni Corvezzo puts it: ‘To share a dream’.”
For Giovanni Corvezzo Beyond Wines could not have come at a better time for the business: “We have known Alex and Stuart for some time and believe they can give us real value. They are fast and dynamic and always looking for the right opportunities. They are also very much aligned with what we want to do.”
Path to organics
Giovanni Corvezzo, head of Corvezzo with its commercial director, Niccolò Dalla Colletta, at this year's ProWein where it unveiled its new look and branding
Founded in 1955 by his great grandfather, Corvezzo has transformed itself from being a significant grower and supplier of Prosecco DOC into being one of Italy’s fastest growing and influential producers.
Giovanni Corvezzo took over the management of the business in 2010 just a year after Prosecco was granted DOC status. It was also when he decided to make the first move towards organic wine production, with an initial 10-hectare four-year trial.
Corvezzo can now claim to have the largest acreage of certified organic Glera grapes in Italy and is the number one producer of organic Prosecco and Pinot Grigio in Italy. It also grows grapes across 195 of its family-owned hectares. It also works with an increasing network of 60+ growers that are already certified organic or in the process of converting over.
“They share our common vision and want to be part of the number one organic producer in Italy,” says Giovanni.
“We hope we can be a guiding light for those that want to do organics in the DOC and give those that do a platform to sell their grapes. We also act as a consultant to our growers and what they are doing in their vineyards.”
National player
Corvezzo can now claim to have the largest acreage of certified organic Glera grapes in Italy and is the number one producer of organic Prosecco and Pinot Grigio in Italy
Crucially Corvezzo in recent years has extended its footprint outside Prosecco and into many of the core wine producing regions of Italy. Particularly on the back of introducing the La Traversata brand in 2021 that sources grapes across multiple regions, including Sicily, Tuscany, Puglia, Abruzzo and Le Marche.
This diversification has helped take its total production from 80,000 bottles in 2016 to over 16 million bottles now, 80% of which is organic. A capacity that has allowed it open up business in 54 markets around the world.
Corvezzo’s Niccolò Dalla Colletta says the business increasingly offers a fresh face in what can be a traditional Italian market.
“The strength of Giovanni when it comes to building exports around the world is that he is bolder, braver and wants to do things differently. Corvezzo has become the reference point for organic production of Prosecco,” he says.
Corvezzo’s ability to now source and make wines across Italy has made it such an important and strategic partner for Beyond Wines.
As Bond explains: “From a strategic perspective, Corvezzo is far more than just a Prosecco supplier. It gives us real depth in Italian sparkling and still wines, but also flexibility in how we go to market.”
Corvezzo is able to handle sparkling wine at scale which opens up new trading opportunities for Beyond Wines and its UK on and off-trade partners
He adds: “Corvezzo’s ability to operate at scale while maintaining a strong focus on quality allows Beyond Wines to offer its customers a more complete solution. That ranges from commercially competitive entry-level wines through to more premium and differentiated propositions.
Crucially, it provides customers with confidence around supply, consistency, and the ability to develop tailored solutions depending on channel and positioning. In today’s market, customers need both value and a clear point of difference. Corvezzo allows us to deliver both.”
Reasons for success
Bond believes Corvezzo stands out in the Italian wine market for three key reasons.
“The first is its ability to combine scale with authenticity. Despite its size (around 16m bottles), it retains the mindset of a family producer, which comes through both in the wines and in how it works with partners. Big enough to compete, but with real care in how it deals with its customers.” says Bond.
Which makes it potentially such a good producer partner for major retailers and operators to work with as it gives them the “flexibility they are looking for in the supply chain,” says Green.
As well as its own organically grown and sourced wines, Corvezzo also has a large supply of non-organic grapes from its growers which means it can offer solutions at all key competitive price points, from entry level to premium.
It has also embarked on an ambitious five-year plan to significantly expand its bottling capacity, with 4m litres of extra storage, an additional bottling line, and a new vinification centre, with an eye on being able to develop its own low and no alcohol wines. This will see the company raise its capacity from 24m bottles today, to close to 40m by 2030.
It also wants to develop an experience hub at its winery by 2030. A purpose-built visitor, hospitality and brand centre, thoughtfully designed to integrate with the surrounding rural landscape, delivering a uplift in brand equity and consumer engagement.
“We need to continue to be one step ahead and keep on innovating,” says Giovanni.
The second is its leadership in organics.
Organic production is a key part of Corvezzo's point of difference
Bond explains: "This gives genuine credibility in a segment that continues to grow in importance, with organically certified vineyards across the peninsula enabling a broader sourcing approach beyond Veneto. It allows us to enhance entry-level wines by blending across a wider network of organic vineyards to deliver better consistency, quality, and value.”
The third is its collaborative approach.
“Corvezzo is open to developing exclusive labels, tailored blends, and longer-term brand strategies, something we believe is increasingly important in a competitive and evolving market.
That flexibility is a real advantage,” he says.